Protect Half Moon Bay From Sea Level Rise

Surfrider strongly supports upholding the intent of the California Coastal Act to maximize coastal public access, protect sensitive habitats, preserve natural coastal processes and protect public resources. In light of sea level rise and climate change related hazards, the City of Half Moon Bay must take a proactive approach to update its policies in order to plan for the drastic changes to come to our shorelines. Surfrider is pleased to see many policies in the City’s LUP update that take seriously the need to adapt to sea level rise by relocating structures away from coastal hazard zones and avoiding hard armoring on the shoreline.

Surfrider endorses policies that call for planned relocation and implementing “soft” or nature based measures to protect the shoreline. Living shorelines are a win-win solution that uses the ecosystem’s natural abilities to protect coastlines from coastal hazards while providing benefits such as habitat and recreation area expansions, while also serving as a more visually pleasing protection measure.

Surfrider actively discourages perpetuation of coastal armoring solutions (seawalls, revetments, jettys) as a means of mitigating the risk of sea level rise. Seawalls have well-documented adverse consequences, including interrupting natural geological processes leading to shrinking coastal habitat areas, increased erosion and impacts to surf.

Surfrider urges the Coastal Commission to incorporate several modifications to the City’s proposed LUP update, in order to ensure effective implementation of the LUP updates and Coastal Act consistency.

• The LUP should include strong and unambiguous definitions of existing development and redevelopment to prevent individual interests from skirting around policies that protect public assets.

• The LUP should include a policy that prohibits shoreline armoring of the California Coastal Trail, which runs along most of the City’s coastline.

• The LUP should include clear policies on temporary and emergency permitting.

The California Coastal Commission will consider certification of the City's local coastal program update on Wednesday, April 14.